Heavy duty single action fly reels have been designed for use when fly fishing for strong fish such as Atlantic Salmon, Steelhead, and salt-water species. These reels have increased line capacity, heavier construction, and drags with greater ability to retard line removal. This type of reel is also characterized by drive of the reel spool with a handle directly attached to the spool. This has the advantage of providing direct spool drive when one desires to bring in a stubborn fish. A disadvantage of direct spool drive is the hazard presented by the rapidly revolving handle when a strong fish is quickly removing line.
This disadvantage is overcome in the prior art by an antireverse single action reel. In these reels the handle is prevented from rotating when line is being removed. This is accomplished by driving the spool with a handle which is attached to a frictional brake mechanism. Since this brake mechanism is held in a fixed position when line is removed the handle does not rotate with the spool. When the handle is turned to recover line, friction of the brake mechanism couples the handle motion to the spool. A disadvantage with this type of reel is that there is no longer direct drive of the spool and there is limited line recovery force which can be applied through the brake mechanism. When a greater force is applied, the brake slips and the spool rotates allowing undesired line removal. Although both types of heavy duty single action fly reels have unique features, it is evident that no single reel incorporates both desirable direct drive and the safety of anti-reverse.